The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-01
PAGYlX PARK MURDERS,
AND THE EPPECP THEY HAD'ON
NIX. PARNRLL
And Other Irish Members Of the
British House OF Commons
ut the Time.

| Henry George in the New York
Stdnddrd: | was at sthat time on
the other side OF the Atlantic as cor
respondent Of the Irish World, and
receiving q cable dispatch from Pat
rick Ford asking me TO meet Davitt
Immediately on his release, | went
from Dublin to London, and in com
pany with Mr.. Sexton and some
others OF the Irish party met Davitt,
who was escorted from Portland
prison by Messrs. Parnell and Dill
Ion, at the railway station. 1t was
nearly II o'clock when l said good
night to Mr.. Davitt and the little
party that had assembled to greet
him at the Westminster Hotel, and
and went to the house of the friend
in South Kensingtou with whom |
was staying. 1t may seem strange
to an American, but though Caven-
dish and Burke had been there near
ly three hours dead, and Dublin
was convulsed with excitement, the
general public of London, and
even men so vitality Interested
as the Irish leaders, knew
nothing of what had occurred. The
London newspapers publish no Sun
day editions. On Saturday nights
their Offices are deserted, aud there
is no machinery for getting out ex-
tras with unexpected news, no mat
ter what its Importance, and il tele-
grams had been sent to Irish mem
bers they were probably delayed by
the Postofhce Department. But early
in the extremely early English sum
mer morning, when the great city is
sounder asleep than in any other part
OF the day, was aroused by tele-
graph messenger bringing me a pri-
vate dispatch from DIR. Kelly, then
of Rutland Square, Dublin, but now
OF Lexington avenue, New York, ap.
prising me of the tragedy. | imme-
diately made what haste | could (for
at that hour no public conveyance
was to be had) to the Westminster
Hotel, and waking Davitt up showed
him the telegram. Springing up
with intense emotion he at once
sent for Messrs Dillon and Par
nell. All three, as we'll as
other members OF the Irish party
who were subsequently sent for,
we're deeply panied and grieved at
the news. Davitt seemed so much
cut up" by it that l really felt for
him, but the man who seemed stirred
The most was Parnell-ordinarily the
most undemonstrative of human be-
ngs-and on the first impulse he
.alked of Immediately resigning and
eaving public life forever. There
,ould be no question Of the real feel
ngs OF these men, and especially of
Mr., Parnell. II is not that there was
my personal sympathy with Burke,
Who had made himself thoroughly
lated by patriotic Irishmen, but j
here was personal sympathy with
Lord Cavendish, who had Just ar. !
lived in Ireland aud had done moth
ng to offend Irish sentiment His I
appointment, moreover, to take the
,lace of the Justly hated Foster, ac-
as it was with the release
,t the Irish members from Kilmain-
nam and of Davitt from Portland,
vas deemed the holding out of the
1.-Two branch by the Gladstone
overnment-the dawn for Ireland
I better day. And to this
he knives that flashed in Phoenix ,
lark gave terrible answer. At
lngle unexpected blow Parnell's
laus were shattered. TO him il
'as not merely two high officials
tho were stabbed TO death in B.,
'h@nix Park, but great policy and I
high hope. | had at that time
God opportunities for judging of
IRISH feeling, and | feel confident
nat the unanimous expression of
orror and regret which the Phunix
ark assassinations provoked in Ire
md, as well as from Irishmeu in
Jher parts of the world, was thor
1ghly genuine. Had these assas- !
nations happened week or two 4
'rlier; had it been Foster and
urke that were slain, instead of
avendish and Burke, it would have
zen different but to the Irish peo-
o these assassinations, happening
they did, seemed like the slaugh-
r of the bearer Of flag of truce
% Staying OF the messenger Of good
1ings. -